# Making Moonshine at home?????????????????



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Since that show moonshiners came on T.V. I see more and more of Moonshine on the shelves at the liquor store.
Anyone ever try making it at home i like this guys idea for a still he is funny too.
Its the mash he uses that has me shaking my head!:hmm:

How to Make moonshine at home « Whiskey, Scotch & Bourbon


----------



## Rock31 (Sep 30, 2010)

next thing we know you're going to be joining the Amish Mafia!


----------



## fuente~fuente (May 11, 2009)

My pop makes some pretty good shine. Apple Pie, Peach, & White Lightning... He brought me 2 jars of Lightning about a week ago. One was 100 proof, & the other was 175 proof...


The 175 will curl your toes!


----------



## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2012)

I took a case of nat ice and ended up with a half pint of some 150 once. Does that count :al


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Well that was interesting to say the least. Much easier to just buy a 50lb bulk bag of Golden Promise malt, toasted oak chips, and a reflux tower attachment for a keg and make scotch.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

HIM said:


> Well that was interesting to say the least. Much easier to just buy a 50lb bulk bag of Golden Promise malt, toasted oak chips, and a reflux tower attachment for a keg and make scotch.


My thoughts as well!
The guy was not exactly an artisan!
Still i would like to attempt a batch of shine!


----------



## OnePyroTec (Dec 11, 1997)

The show is fun to watch...they do leave out a few details.
Back in the 90's I was sharing some with my Grandfather. It was one of the few times I have ever seen him get "lit"...although he was no stranger to drinking...he was a BIG man and it took a lot. When he got to the point of let's say...taking the edge off...he started telling me about the days in the 1920's & 30's when him and his brothers ran a still on their father's farm in Canada, and what we were sipping reminded him of his youth. No one in my family had ever heard the stories he told me that night. :biggrin:


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

OnePyroTec said:


> The show is fun to watch...they do leave out a few details.
> Back in the 90's I was sharing some with my Grandfather. It was one of the few times I have ever seen him get "lit"...although he was no stranger to drinking...he was a BIG man and it took a lot. When he got to the point of let's say...taking the edge off...he started telling me about the days in the 1920's & 30's when him and his brothers ran a still on their father's farm in Canada, and what we were sipping reminded him of his youth. No one in my family had ever heard the stories he told me that night. :biggrin:


My grandmother used to say R.I.P.
"Drunk men and children always tell the truth"


----------



## OnePyroTec (Dec 11, 1997)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> My thoughts as well!
> The guy was not exactly an artisan!
> Still i would like to attempt a batch of shine!


Back in my beer brewing days, I read up on the laws of Hard Alcohol and I do believe you are or were allowed to make minor amounts for personal consumption. Do some web searching and you can get all the details on the laws and howto's. I used to see a home counter top distiller machine for sale...but from feedback I read it gave out a HOT tasting alcohol.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

OnePyroTec said:


> Back in my beer brewing days, I read up on the laws of Hard Alcohol and I do believe you are or were allowed to make minor amounts for personal consumption. Do some web searching and you can get all the details on the laws and howto's. I used to see a home counter top distiller machine for sale...but from feedback I read it gave out a HOT tasting alcohol.


Thanks for the help Wayne i appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

fuente~fuente said:


> My pop makes some pretty good shine. Apple Pie, Peach, & White Lightning... He brought me 2 jars of Lightning about a week ago. One was 100 proof, & the other was 175 proof...
> 
> The 175 will curl your toes!


I'm in!


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

If you make the leap just research the hell out of it first. Better to know where you stand legally that way you know what trouble you could face. Also make sure you got every step of the process down, don't wanna go blind or get poisoned just for the sake of trying to make some shine.


----------



## Stiks (Dec 3, 2012)

Chug a lug, Chug a lug. Make me wanna holler hidy ho! Burn my tummy don't you know! LOL 

Tony you sure you got nuff hillbilly in ya to run a batch o' shine? If'n not I know a feller that is as hillbilly as they come, Me!

Let me know if you need any info.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Hell yes I'm a good old boy!
Gonna do some more research.
Thanks for the help!


----------



## OnePyroTec (Dec 11, 1997)

Think my memory is/was clouded. None of the home distilling bills have been passed...only brought up several times in congress.

The counter top units for home distilling are available in New Zealand where the practice *is* legal.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Small type still Whiskey Still Co. || Copper Moonshine Stills & Pot Stills for Sale

Hypothetically speaking  .....there was a member on here who's grandfather hailed from Tennessee and passed on a recipe. Now it called for 9 bushels of corn but said member and a few friends, while in high school, modified the recipe (after asking granddad) and used corn meal and sugar. There was enough wild yeast in the corn meal to get the mash bubbling, which lasted about a week.

Jumping to me :biggrin1: and my homebrewing (about 22 years off and on) the basics of fermenation are the same for homebrew and distillation. You start with a mash which is fundamentally some type of material that has sugars that can be processed by yeast to form alcohol. Homebrewers don't typically use sugar because we are shooting for a specific alcohol content and a particular style (hard candy, which is a sugar, is used in some types like trippels). Distillers use sugar to boost alcohol production.
If someone was going to try this, hypothetically speaking, at home and wanted to get more of the corn flavor then you need to use at least 51% corn to any other ingredient.

As far as the actual distallation you have to be careful with the first runs because methanol is also produced in a limited amount. The boiling point for methanol is 149F while ethanol (the good stuff) has a boiling point of 173F. So the first stuff coming off as the mash is heating up is methanol. That's where you see references to throwing away the stuff that comes out first and is based on how much you're running. For the small batches like 20 liters of mash I've seen references to throwing away the first 50 mL to 75 ml.

If you have other questions just pm me.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Thanks Eric that's a great link bro!


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

piperdown said:


> Small type still Whiskey Still Co. || Copper Moonshine Stills & Pot Stills for Sale
> 
> Hypothetically speaking  .....there was a member on here who's grandfather hailed from Tennessee and passed on a recipe. Now it called for 9 bushels of corn but said member and a few friends, while in high school, modified the recipe (after asking granddad) and used corn meal and sugar. There was enough wild yeast in the corn meal to get the mash bubbling, which lasted about a week.
> 
> ...


What I don't understand is what wild yeast culture lives on the corn? I know lactobacillus lives on barley husk, but that's not a yeast and doesn't produce any alcohol just lactic acid(which is how sour mash whisky is made). The few distillers I know use distillers yeast which is able to handle high alcohol levels without dying like most yeasts will. As for sugar, you can use it in beer, I use a # of table sugar in my IPA to dry it out more. I also use Belgian candi sugar in most of my recipes. Difference is when distilling your just going for alcohol so you can do stuff like a white wash. If you tried it with beer it would taste like vinegar. As Eric mentioned you have to toss the head and the tail of the run as they aren't ethanol. From what I've been told the drastic changes in temperature make it easy to know which kind of alcohol is being boiled off. But the other thing I don't get is corn needs to be mashed with barley to convert the starch to sugar, how do people make it all work with little to no barley to assist the conversion?


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

This site has some great recipes and explanation of the whole process in general.
Home Distillation of Alcohol (Homemade Alcohol to Drink)


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

HIM said:


> What I don't understand is what wild yeast culture lives on the corn? I know lactobacillus lives on barley husk, but that's not a yeast and doesn't produce any alcohol just lactic acid(which is how sour mash whisky is made). The few distillers I know use distillers yeast which is able to handle high alcohol levels without dying like most yeasts will. As for sugar, you can use it in beer, I use a # of table sugar in my IPA to dry it out more. I also use Belgian candi sugar in most of my recipes. Difference is when distilling your just going for alcohol so you can do stuff like a white wash. If you tried it with beer it would taste like vinegar. As Eric mentioned you have to toss the head and the tail of the run as they aren't ethanol. From what I've been told the drastic changes in temperature make it easy to know which kind of alcohol is being boiled off. But the other thing I don't get is corn needs to be mashed with barley to convert the starch to sugar, how do people make it all work with little to no barley to assist the conversion?


Airborne wild yeast. It's everywhere and if you leave the container open like the old timers did you'll get fermentation. The less alcohol resistant ones die off as the % of ethanol goes up. You can use a commerical yeast. If it were me I'd probably use a good champane yeast as it can go upwards of 10-12% alcohol.

As far as the sugars and corn not having all the enzymes, one the corn is malted and a little bit of rye (or a lot) plus some malted barley can be thrown in. Several people have mentioned that even taking the mash out all the way with just corn there will still be a bit of sweetness to the mash.

The original recipe that a certain granddad passed one started out with nine bushels of corn in washtubs covered with warm water and put behind the stove (wood burning!) until it started sprouting. Change the water once a day and stir the corn until most of it had sprouted. Drain the water and put the corn on a big wooden screen to dry in the sun.......anyway you get the point.


----------



## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

I'd be afraid of making myself blind... I'll stick with going to the liquor store.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Someone just told me their grandfather used to make shine out of Corn Syrup anybody hear of this? Supposedly half the work is done as the sugars from the corn have already been converted and extracted. He said it was close to 200 proof almost every time. Nearly straight alcohol they would then cut it with distilled water to get the alcohol content they wanted. Never under 150 proof damn that's strong.


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

I'd use distillers yeast over champagne yeast. Distillers yeast will get you close to 20abv in about 3 days whereas champagne yeast takes much longer and more than likely wont get that high of abv.

Corn syrup is basically what you'd get from mashing corn so that makes sense.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Cool thanks for sharing the knowledge!
Its amazing just got back from the liquor store. The owner Matt says i can't sell this stuff any easier it flies off the shelves!
I am standing there they have Cherry, Blueberry, Strawberry. Distilled neutral spirits with a big label the reads Junior Johnson's Moonshine.
$20 a mason jar 750ml size right next to it is Weller 12 year old Wheated Bourbon for the same $20 no body evens gives it a 2nd glance.:hmm:


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Its probably a no brainer but I figured I'd mention it anyways FWIW.... Anyone looking to get into home distilling should make their own still. All the companies that sell stills by law have to report all sales(this includes your personal info) to the FBI/ATF. It is also the law that they reserve the right to show up to your house anytime on any day and be shown what your still is being used for.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

I think that's a great tip after all it is an illegal process. Unless you apply for a permit to make Ethanol for use in your vehicle. I often wondered why one distillation process is legal and one is not. I mean i understand the tax part on Moonshine. But there are taxes on fuel as well.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

You can always try this before going full copper.

Home Distiller • View topic - My first run in my pressure cooker still


----------



## phinz (Jan 5, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Cool thanks for sharing the knowledge!
> Its amazing just got back from the liquor store. The owner Matt says i can't sell this stuff any easier it flies off the shelves!
> I am standing there they have Cherry, Blueberry, Strawberry. Distilled neutral spirits with a big label the reads Junior Johnson's Moonshine.
> $20 a mason jar 750ml size right next to it is Weller 12 year old Wheated Bourbon for the same $20 no body evens gives it a 2nd glance.:hmm:


The Ole Smoky Moonshine distillery is just 5 miles up the road from me. They have several different flavors that you can't get anywhere but the distillery. I don't much care for their stuff - I prefer "independent" bottlings - but their Lemondrop is pretty tasty. The tasting counters at the distillery on a quiet day are usually 3-4 deep, but during touron season they can be 10 deep. It's great for the economy.

There's also a new distillery in town called Gatlinburg Barrelhouse. They make a Tennessee whiskey called Davy Crockett's Ol' Coonskin that I prefer over Jack Daniel's. They also make Kickin' Chicken vodka, a blended whiskey called Cooter Brown, salty caramel and cinnamon (Fire Tower) whiskeys. The cinammon will light you up. As of right now they do not distribute and only sell through the store.


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

There's definitely other ways to do it but copper makes the best product. Here's a link with some cool info in the advantages of copper stills.....Copper vs Stainless

Ole Smokey makes some pretty decent stuff. I like how they sell it in mason jars. Has anyone tried Popcorn Suttons whiskey?


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

phinz said:


> The Ole Smoky Moonshine distillery is just 5 miles up the road from me. They have several different flavors that you can't get anywhere but the distillery. I don't much care for their stuff - I prefer "independent" bottlings - but their Lemondrop is pretty tasty. The tasting counters at the distillery on a quiet day are usually 3-4 deep, but during touron season they can be 10 deep. It's great for the economy.
> 
> There's also a new distillery in town called Gatlinburg Barrelhouse. They make a Tennessee whiskey called Davy Crockett's Ol' Coonskin that I prefer over Jack Daniel's. They also make Kickin' Chicken vodka, a blended whiskey called Cooter Brown, salty caramel and cinnamon (Fire Tower) whiskeys. The cinammon will light you up. As of right now they do not distribute and only sell through the store.


Damn that's a nice pic i just set it as my computer wallpaper!
Thanks!


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

piperdown said:


> You can always try this before going full copper.
> 
> Home Distiller • View topic - My first run in my pressure cooker still





HIM said:


> There's definitely other ways to do it but copper makes the best product. Here's a link with some cool info in the advantages of copper stills.....Copper vs Stainless
> 
> Ole Smokey makes some pretty decent stuff. I like how they sell it in mason jars. Has anyone tried Popcorn Suttons whiskey?


TWO GREAT SITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Gents!


----------



## aea6574 (Jun 5, 2009)

This would be fun to try but there is so much great bourbon that I can buy at the local store it seems like to much work.

Best regards, Tony


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

aea6574 said:


> This would be fun to try but there is so much great bourbon that I can buy at the local store it seems like to much work.
> 
> Best regards, Tony


I can only speak from my experience as a brewer so I may be wrong. But brewing beer is pretty easy and distilling seems about just as easy if you know what your doing. Seeing as how i can make 6 gallons of beer at $1 or less per beer I bet you save a ton of money on booze in the bigger picture home distilling vs buying from a liquor store. That + knowing its something you've made is worth the effort IMO. As long as it doesn't blind or kill you of course lol


----------



## beercritic (Feb 13, 2011)

Huge distilling forum:

Homedistiller dot org

Many rip-off companies out there, these folks are legit:

Milehidistilling dot com

Still, send a money order & have it shipped to a safe place.

Not quite $10 for a gallon (thereabouts) of 190+ proof. Keep it away from plastic, it eats plastic.

Read a lot before you attempt it, it is easy and entirely safe, if you KNOW what you're doing. 

"Strawberry Panty Dropper" is a fairly accurate name for that concoction.

I witnessed the above when I lived in Delaware. Good times. Great fun. Be safe.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

aea6574 said:


> This would be fun to try but there is so much great bourbon that I can buy at the local store it seems like to much work.
> 
> Best regards, Tony


You know Tony that was my point before when i compared 12 year old Weller which is a Good 12 year old Bourbon. Selling for the same price as Shine at the store.
I have had very good shine back when i was in the Corps. Made in the Carolina's by family of brothers i served with. The company was great the shine was very good. But not better than Bourbon which goes through a whole aging process in Charred white oak barrels. I would like to learn how to distill real good shine. Then buy a new White oak barrel Char it with a torch sit back age it and see what happens. And its true something you make yourself with pride always tastes better! I just wonder if i can make the shine in batches and add it to the barrel till its full. Or if i would need to distill enough at one time to fill the whole barrel. I am guessing the later to keep it consistent. Thoughts???????????


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

beercritic said:


> Huge distilling forum:
> 
> Homedistiller dot org
> 
> ...


Thanks Joe I'll give it a shot!


----------



## beercritic (Feb 13, 2011)

Tony, you can distill in batches; you don't have to fill it at once.

Or in glass jars/jugs with oak chips. That first site I mentioned, tells what flavors come from oak toasted at various temps. A sugar wash can make a dandy whisky tasting libation. A drop or 2 of vanilla & maple syrup really trick it out. Literally just a couple drops/quart; don't heavy-hand it.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

beercritic said:


> Tony, you can distill in batches; you don't have to fill it at once.
> 
> Or in glass jars/jugs with oak chips. That first site I mentioned, tells what flavors come from oak toasted at various temps. A sugar wash can make a dandy whisky tasting libation. A drop or 2 of honey & maple syrup really trick it out. Literally just a couple drops/quart; don't heavy-hand it.


Oh thats great news Thanks again Joe!


----------



## HIM (Sep 12, 2012)

Nice part about using chips would be the freedom to experiment. You can use different types of wood, different toasts, soaking chips in rum or whisky or sherry before adding to the jars. All without having to commit a whole barrel to the experiment. Better to have one mason jar of something that didnt work very well than to ruin a whole barrels worth.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Another great point made there's a big learning curve!


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Oh thats great news Thanks again Joe!


Tony, my little experiment is ongoing with the small barrel and everclear. The link to the barrels are here Oak Barrels & Kegs - Product: Oak Barrel - 67 oz (2 liter) Black Hoop
Cheapest smaller barrels I could find and already charred.
So far it's been about 8 months(?). I'd have to look it up but it was back in the summer. The stuff is still changing, mellowing and smoothing out. Quite a bit of sweetness still.
I'd really like to get another barrel and try the white dog shine in it. It's right at barreling strength the way it is.


----------



## splattttttt (May 17, 2012)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Hell yes I'm a good old boy!
> Gonna do some more research.
> Thanks for the help!


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

piperdown said:


> Tony, my little experiment is ongoing with the small barrel and everclear. The link to the barrels are here Oak Barrels & Kegs - Product: Oak Barrel - 67 oz (2 liter) Black Hoop
> Cheapest smaller barrels I could find and already charred.
> So far it's been about 8 months(?). I'd have to look it up but it was back in the summer. The stuff is still changing, mellowing and smoothing out. Quite a bit of sweetness still.
> I'd really like to get another barrel and try the white dog shine in it. It's right at barreling strength the way it is.


That's right i just remembered you posted on that a while back. 8 Months already can't wait to see the results. Thanks for the site gonna get this up and running by summer.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

splattttttt said:


>


One of my all time favorite movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## splattttttt (May 17, 2012)

watching that clip brought me back to my early days as a young dad. A very bizarre moment.


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)




----------

